Mind in Bexley groups have been really fortunate to benefit from the knowledge and expertise of the artist Paul Robinson, known as LUAP.

Paul is a British contemporary artist whose work explores mental health, adventure and the human experience through his signature Pink Bear character. He has previously collaborated with Mind as part of his solo show Life Lines and was delighted to speak to some of our Mind in Bexley groups.

Paul visited the Art Clubs, which run at our Devonshire Road office in Bexleyheath, to offer his advice and skills. He also gave a talk to our Menopause Group about his work and provided an art workshop.

After visiting the groups, Paul said: “I really enjoyed working with the Art Club and Menopause Group and sharing my journey. Each group had its own energy and story, and it was amazing to see how people from such different backgrounds and ages responded to the creative process.

“Some people were a bit hesitant at first, but once they got stuck in, their confidence grew. It was powerful to see how personal the work became, even in such a short space of time. I left each session feeling inspired by the honesty and openness everyone brought to it.”

During Mental Health Awareness Week, we thought it would be illuminating to speak to Paul about his thoughts on how he approaches his work, where his creativity comes from and how art helps him personally.

What inspired you to get into art?

Art has always been my way of making sense of the world. As a kid, it was instinctive. I did not have the words to explain what was going on in my head, but I could always draw it, paint it, or create something. It was the one place where things could be messy and complicated and that was allowed. As life became more complicated and harder to navigate, art shifted from something enjoyable to something vital. It became a way to survive, to map out the chaos and find some direction.

At the same time, I have always been hungry for adventure. New experiences, new landscapes, and stepping outside of what is familiar. That sense of adventure feeds directly into my work. Every painting and every project is its own journey. It is not just about creating something beautiful; it is about pushing myself into unknown emotional and physical spaces and seeing what I bring back.

What is your favourite medium?

Painting is where I feel most at home. There is something about the process, the texture, the layers and even the mistakes that mirrors real life. It is messy, unpredictable and often challenging, and that is what makes it feel real to me. I also work with photography and sculpture when painting alone is not enough to express what I need to say.

The medium has to fit the feeling. I do not like to be boxed into one way of working. Sometimes the sense of adventure comes from trying something new. Photographing the Pink Bear in wild landscapes or building large installations brings a different energy. It all feeds the same need to keep exploring and to find new ways to connect with people.

Who are the artists that have influenced your journey?

Francis Bacon had a huge impact on me. The rawness, the violence, the vulnerability in his work is impossible to ignore. He was not interested in making things easy to look at. I am drawn to artists who are willing to show the uncomfortable side of life without polishing it up.

Beyond individual artists, I find a lot of inspiration from adventurers and thinkers. People who push their limits physically and mentally, climbing mountains or exploring the unknown. That sense of risk and discovery feels just as important to me creatively as anything I could find inside a gallery.

Mental health seems to be a theme across your work – what compelled you to address this theme in your art?

I have struggled with my mental health in ways that were not always visible from the outside. For a long time, it felt like something I had to carry alone. Making art allowed me to externalise those feelings, to give them shape and visibility. The Pink Bear character is bright and playful on the surface, but underneath it holds a lot of the loneliness, questioning and searching that I was experiencing.

I did not set out to make work about mental health, it just came through naturally because it is such a big part of my story. I wanted the work to be honest without being hopeless. There is a strength in acknowledging those struggles and I hope that strength is something people can feel when they see the pieces.

Is there a particular piece that you created that has been therapeutic or a huge challenge for you to create and why?

The large-scale Pink Bear landscapes have been some of the most challenging and most important pieces for me. Spending weeks completely immersed in those vast, empty environments, carrying all the emotional weight of what the Bear represents, was often mentally exhausting. There is no escaping yourself when you are painting that kind of isolation.

At the same time, they were incredibly therapeutic. Each finished piece felt like completing a mental expedition. Exhausting, difficult, but with a sense of achievement and clarity at the end. Those works are a reminder that even the hardest emotional journeys can lead somewhere meaningful.

How do you hope that your art speaks to others?

I hope that when people see the work, they feel something real. It could be comfort, curiosity, sadness or recognition. I am not trying to tell people how they should feel. I just want the work to act like a mirror, reflecting back whatever it is they might be carrying inside themselves.

Especially with themes like mental health, adventure and connection, I want the art to remind people that it is alright to feel lost sometimes. It is alright to keep searching. Life is not neat or predictable, but it is full of moments of beauty if you are willing to go out and look for them.

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Everyone at Mind in Bexley would like to thank Paul for visiting and helping our groups and also in taking the time to talk in-depth with us about his art and his motivation.

If you would like to see more of LUAP’s work, please visit his website here: luapstudios.co.uk or his Instagram account here: LUAP

If you are feeling inspired and would like to join our Art Club, we run two groups on Thursdays at 11am and Fridays at 10am. Our Menopause Group meets every Tuesday at 6pm.

To look at the Recovery College Timetable or fill in the Registration Form, please visit here: mindinbexley.org.uk/recovery